


WtNV :: Change of Heart

by ivorybyrd



Series: WTNV Ficlets... [1]
Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: Gen, M/M, One Year Later, Realizations, Unrequited Love?, from another perspective
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-23
Updated: 2013-08-23
Packaged: 2017-12-24 09:13:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,199
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/938194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ivorybyrd/pseuds/ivorybyrd
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Carlos was there for work, but found himself distracted by the charismatic, charming, and sometimes interesting Cecil Baldwin. His obsession could be either based in platonic scientific reasoning, or something more natural. He's ready to throw in the towel and just set Cecil straight about their working relationship. First things first, lets deal with the bowling alley.</p>
            </blockquote>





	WtNV :: Change of Heart

**Author's Note:**

> HeadCanon: Cecil has heterochromia all over his body and through his eyes, the patches of skin that's darker moves about little by little with every day. Cecil is as well an indigo child, and his immense psychic power is manifested into invisible arms or "tendrils" that move about invisibly. Unless he's experiencing high emotion to where most of the intricate scars, his eyes and tendrils glow indigo, similar to a black light on during the day/night.

Welcome To Night Vale 

Change of Heart

 

Carlos had nightmares of Cecil’s voice for a couple weeks. Though they weren’t really nightmares, just things he wasn’t sure if he should be happy about. He’d be blinded by darkness and only hear Cecil’s voice. 

He wasn’t sure how the other felt about him. He would listen to all the broadcasts, and he was happy for his lack of mention. When he was, the tone of the community radio personality would change. His words became light, affection stained his words, and the words “beautiful” “amazing” and “perfect” were flung around. 

It was those nights he’d toss and turn about frantically, trying to sleep. Carlos suffered regularly from common insomnia, however this was something even more intense. Giving him hallucinations, vivid REM sleep and sometimes he’d wake to see Cecil in his bed. When that happened he’d be too tired to do anything, and after a few bats of his eyelashes, the man would disappear.

He’d been there a full year now, and still he understood nothing about the town, let alone about the man with the silvery smooth voice. 

They saw each other on occasion, he had Cecil’s personal phone number (thrust upon him of course). He’d call Cecil only during the radio program, or before. Never after, and he’d not answer the other man’s random texts. They did go out for coffee once, he was thinking it was a nice quiet meeting between ‘friends’ but Cecil seemed interested in less scientific talk. Cecil was endearing, and very attentive. At least he looked it, seeming more oblivious to what Carlos was actually saying. 

He didn’t deny the strange obsession he had with the radio host, he was just so interesting. The way he sometimes lit up in different places of his body. The way things would sometimes move in his own benefit. Like he had invisible hands that would pick up napkins or stir his coffee for him. Cecil seemed natural with it, as if he was not even doing it with any kind of strain. Carlos was even convinced that Cecil touched his hair at one point.

This man, or creature was infatuated with him. Carlos on the other hand was infatuated with the idea of studying him.

The scientist had no idea how to react towards someone who had interest in him, the concept in itself seemed unlikely that he’d ever have anymore romantic interactions. Too many had failed miserably so after the last one he’d devoted himself to work (it hadn’t been hard). Like so much in the town, he wasn’t sure if he should perceive it as real. They’d touched, bumped shoulders. Cecil felt real, he had been the most scientifically interesting person there, even the man in the tan jacket seemed less interesting. 

Carlos worried that amount of interest wasn’t perpetuated by affection on his part. He was here to do science. Not fall in love, so he separated that part of his brain, and his heart. 

He knew the day would come eventually that he would gain the courage to invite Cecil to the lab. He knew he’d have to agree to something trivial, but Cecil was more than willing to spend time with him. 

Cecil cared about him.. 

Carlos wasn’t sure about himself

So he kept Cecil in that category where he put patients/test subjects. When someone, either male or female, seemed perfect, he’d stop seeing them as human. Just to get through the work day. 

Cecil was a desirable test subject, nothing more. 

It didn’t matter if Cecil was charismatic, sweet, secretly easy to fluster, and unnaturally attractive himself. Carlos liked looking at him, though most were stolen glances, and every time he saw Cecil his skin had changed slightly. The darker skintones had moved several centimeters a day (because you know, these are things a normal non-infatuated scientist would notice). Cecil though, tended to be a bit silly with his antics, he wore strange brightly colored clothing, which Carlos found endearing. One thing though, that interested Carlos the most was when Cecil glowed. He noted the specific place on Cecil’s face that glowed more when he was physically closer to the radio host. 

His mind drifted to how bright Cecil would glow if... 

Carlos shook his head quickly, patting his face with both hands, getting that image out of his brain. Cecil was a desirable test subject, one that challenged him greatly. 

He pushed the blonde, brown and lilac haired Cecil from his brain, he was getting ready to head over to the Desert Flower Bowling Alley, to do away with this business about an underground civilization that definitely could not exist. He was staking his sanity on it as well. Apparently it got leaked that a militia was forming thanks to Teddy Williams. It was his job to help disband it sooner than later, even if the Secret Police were in on it. 

He took his time, but was surprised that there was a bigger group of people that had showed up, and realized that today was someone’s birthday. ‘Great..’ He thought. Teddy and his gang surrounded the ball retrieval station at lane 5 ready to enter as he walked up. 

“Ok guys, this is nonsense.. I am gonna get to the bottom of this, someone has to..” Carlos muttered about how its all in their brains. 

“Oh yeah?!” he heard over his shoulder as he dropped into the hole. “Say that to my...” the voice trailed off as he descended deeper. He moved some hair from his face, an agreement with Cecil a few months back in return for helping him lease a car from an un-cursed car lot. 

 

When Carlos did reemerge he just stuck his head out, and gave them impatient looks. The radio was on, and in a corner a field reporter watched and typed along their type writer. He couldn’t help the timid smile he had, hearing Cecil’s voice. Carlos scoffed mentally at their apprehension to just stroll in like he had. “Follow me and see for yourself.” He didn’t imagine so many would actually follow him in. 

He pointed to the small city and then began to climb down to the city. People called out to him, telling him to be careful. He ignored their concerned calls and walked the few feet it took and got to the small city and beamed at the NightValian’s dumbfounded faces.

“Behold, this is not an enormous city, miles below the earth..” he started and crouched down a bit. “It’s a very small city about ten feet below the earth, populated by tiny people. Who have had to spend a year slowly climbing the ten feet to our world.” he said, gesturing to the spires that came up to his knees. 

“We have nothing to fear.” 

He waited for them to understand, answering blatant questions. His attention elsewhere, his mind was made up. He would tell Cecil that his feelings weren’t returned. He was a scientist, he had to a job, and he enjoyed it. 

That’s when he felt it, something exploded behind his head, along the back of his neck and he felt sharp pain along his shoulder and back. He fell forward, grabbing the wall as some of the tiny humans began attacking him from the front, slicing through his shirt as he staggered backwards against the wall, head slamming into the rock as his vision went in and out. No one would attempt to save him. 

No one cared..

In the distance as his consciousness went in and out he could hear the faint sound of Cecil’s voice, the only sound he could hear. It was nice. ‘I guess, it isn’t so bad. His voice the last thing I hear.’ He thought, hearing the audibly upset radio host. ‘It’s a nice voice...’

When he woke again Teddy was above him, doing some insane ritual. But the pain was gone, disappeared. He wasn’t bleeding much anymore and he was patched up pretty well. 

“Oh, Carlos, all the words I would never have said to you...” hit his ears as he became more aware. 

He was helped up, and he ran a hand through his hair, shaking his head. He needed to get cleaned up. 

He had heard that the man, the apache tracker died in his stead, he was going to visit his grave, but knowing the man’s reputation he probably wasn’t going to be buried in the town cemetery. He sighed and headed to his car and leaned his head back into the seat and stared for several minutes at the changing sky. 

The only thing that was on his mind, was Cecil. 

Why had he thought that Cecil’s voice being the last thing he’d hear was a blessing before death? The host’s voice seemed violently upset at his almost departure into death, and equally relieved when he woke back up. 

He grabbed his phone from his pocket, thankful it was still there despite all the commotion. Carlos found his text thread, read over all the recent messages, all the smiling faces, the proclamations of his affections, and the goodnights he’d send around eleven PM. No matter if Carlos replied or not Cecil was consistently dedicated. He started to type out something, he was sure that Cecil would come no matter what. So he typed out “I need to see you, meet me at the Arby’s parking lot, for scientific exploration.” Cecil would probably take it either very seriously, or as something it wasn’t. For once he hoped for the latter. 

His hands shook, and for a moment he dropped his hand that held the phone in his lap. Convincing himself that he couldn’t do it. Starting the car, he turned on the radio. 

“...at the cost of his own life, save Carlos. Carlos breathes and soon...” he turned it off. 

He hit the button, sending the message. 

It took several minutes, taking the time to get changed into some spare clothes (which was often needed) that were in his trunk. When he didn’t get a reply, he turned back on the radio as he slipped back into his car. 

“Um... I am not sure what scientific exploration now needs the services of my radio audience, but I will dutifully go, dutifully meet him, and as I go. Let us all go. Go now... to the weather.” 

He turned it off and drove to the Arbys. The sun began its descent down into the horizon as he parked and got out. 

Moments after he had sat down on the trunk of his car, a pair of headlights pulled up beside him. He smiled lightly and resigned himself. 

“What is it?” he asked, apprehensively. His eyes were fixed on Carlos “What danger are we in?! What mystery needs to be explored?” 

Carlos shook his head, smiling lightly. “Nothing.” he said and scratched his head letting out a light chuckle. “After everything that happened... I just wanted to see you.”  
Carlos could see the change in demeanor go from worried, to outright surprise, and frantic astonishment. Cecil had turned red, as he tried not to smile to happily at Carlos‘ words. He grabbed the tail ends of his shirt, gripping them “Oh?” his voice trembled with trepidation. 

Carlos looked at the setting sun patting the trunk hood next to him. “I used to think it was setting at the wrong time,” he said glancing back at Cecil, “but then I realized that time doesn’t work in Night Vale, and that none of the clocks are real. Sometimes things seem so strange, or malevolent, and then you find that, underneath, it was something else altogether, something pure, and innocent.” 

"I know what you mean," Cecil said, slowly climbing onto the trunk next to him. He kept comfortable distance away from Carlos, still unsure of if this was what he wanted. 

Carlos on the other hand moved a bit closer to the other, and put his hand on Cecil’s knee, patting it lightly, affectionately. He was home, this was his home now, and Cecil was not just a test subject, he was someone very important, very precious to him. Even if it took a near death experience to show him what he cared about most, he never wanted to second guess those feelings again. What drew him to Cecil wasn’t the strange abilities he had, the intricate moving skin tones, or the glowing scars. It was how the radio host cared, how much he refused to hide his feelings for him. How devoted and dedicated he was to making sure Carlos was at home there. Cecil had saved him in more ways than one, gave him assurance. 

People cared about Cecil, and in turn, they made sure Carlos stayed safe. Cecil was amazing, he was the voice of Night Vale. Despite how amazing they saw Cecil, Cecil was the one who thought that he was perfect, beautiful, and caring. 

Cecil had to take his leave sooner than later, he was near the end of his working hours, and Carlos regretted not saying much more other than a sweet goodbye. Later returning the multitude of goodnight texts with his own.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I hope you've enjoyed!  
> This is sorta an answer to all those headcanons out there that say that Carlos is just using Cecil. I think initially he was, but before this episode in one of the earlier ones Carlos is described as being slightly uncomfortable around Cecil. I think that Cecil must be so interesting that Carlos' affections could be seen from a scientific perspective. Instead of initially liking someone for their smile, Carlos likes Cecil for his peculiar attributes. Carlos also kinda seems like the type to think deeply, and those who do tend to be less confident in themselves. So Cecil's adoration for him is kind of a lure for him to feel more inclined towards Cecil.


End file.
